Game State Restoration via Session Identifier Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Players in electronic wagering games are discouraged from continuing to play as they must restart from the beginning to unlock game features, leading to a need for a method to save and restore game progress.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for restoring games using game state identifiers, where a gaming device selects and issues a game state identifier, allowing players to restore their game to a specific stage, and a session identifier is used to manage restoration sessions, enabling players to resume gameplay from previously unlocked features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If players continue to play through stages to unlock game features, then game features are unlocked, but player time and effort are significantly consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by saving the game state identifier during gameplay, allowing players to restore their progress later without replaying entire stages. The game state identifier captures the unlocked features and progress level, enabling future restoration without repeating the time-consuming progression process.
2Ease of operation
If players can restore games to previous states, then player convenience is improved, but system complexity increases due to session management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary session identifier that mediates between the player's restoration request and the game state identifier. The session identifier acts as a temporary token that validates restoration attempts, allowing the system to track and control restoration operations without requiring complex player authentication or detailed state verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a simplified copy of the game state through the game state identifier, which captures essential progress information without duplicating the entire game state. This lightweight identifier can be stored, transmitted, and verified without the complexity of managing complete game state data.
3Adaptability or versatility
If game state identifiers are issued for restoration, then players can access saved progress, but potential for abuse increases without usage limits
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action by limiting the number of restoration operations that can be performed using a single session identifier. Each restoration consumes one use of the session identifier, and after a predetermined number of uses (e.g., one or two times), the session identifier becomes invalid. This creates a natural usage pattern that prevents abuse while allowing legitimate restoration needs.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a first game machine, a second game machine, and a session server. The session server includes a processor configured to at least receive, from the first game machine, a request from a player to enable restoration of a game, and in response to receiving the request to enable restoration of the game, register a session identifier in association with a player account of the player. The processor is also configured to store the session identifier in association with the player account to a session identifier database, and receive, from the second game machine and in response to a player request to restore the game, player account information associated with the player account. In addition, the processor is configured to retrieve the session identifier from the session identifier database in response to receiving the player account information, and determine whether to enable restoration of the game.